what is this!?

panama, Panama

what is this? (taken from my microscope). They are from my climbing flower plant. The plant started dying and i saw this white stuff. Thank you! (i have noticed they appeared in another plant too but its now gone and the plant is fine)

Thumbnail by johngan Thumbnail by johngan Thumbnail by johngan Thumbnail by johngan Thumbnail by johngan
panama, Panama

I just noticed that its a brownish bug convered in the whitish cream.

panama, Panama

Anyone?

Contra Costa County, CA(Zone 9b)

Are these a sucking pest? Narrow proboscis that it sticks into the plant leaves or tender stems? You might see tiny spots where some damage was done, but mostly 'poor health'.
Are these chewing/biting? Chunks missing from the leaf or flowers?
Are these burrowing into the plant? Small round entrance or exit holes.

They look most like a sucking insect with a somewhat active life style in the first pic (has legs) or a sessile life style in the second pic- rounded blobs covered with protective white waxy stuff. Sometimes the waxy covered things do move around, usually slowly. They do not want to draw attention to themselves. Birds and other predators often target movement.

I am not familiar with the insects in Panama.
If I saw this locally (San Francisco Bay Area, California) I would start looking into pests like:
Woolly Apple Aphid (Targets Rosaceae)
Meally Bug (Green house and garden pest)
Eucalyptus (Red Gum) Lerp Psyllid (An exotic that moved here from Australia)
Pulvinaria or other scale, (Pulvinaria mesembryanthemi is found on Ice Plant)

I am sure your pest is none of these. These are found in temperate zones, not sure how far into the tropics they go, and I know what they look like under their protection, and it is not like yours.
These are simply suggested as a starting place for some more research. Bugs sorta like yours.

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